UKTV Acquires ‘American Housewife’, The Assets’ & ‘Harrow’

UKTV has agreed a bumper deal with Disney Media Distribution to secure the exclusive UK rights to ABC’s comedy series American Housewife, Cold War espionage thriller The Assets and Australian drama Harrow. American Housewife and The Assets will air on W, while Harrow will air on Alibi.

Under the pact with Disney, UKTV has secured the rights to the two existing seasons of American Housewife and a potential third season, should it be renewed state-side by ABC. A formal renewal decision is expected to be made at the network later this week, ahead of both the Upfronts and LA Screenings.

“With this broad new range of hit series, we’re sure to offer something to cater to all UKTV viewers’ tastes”, said Dayna Donaldson, General Manager, Disney Media Distribution, UK & Ireland. “We are looking forward to working with UKTV to bring the crime drama Harrow to the UK for the first time, following its great success in Australia, as the first co-production out of ABC Studios International’s London-based team.”

American Housewife follows Katie Otto, a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three, who raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring. The comedy series is produced by Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios and stars Katy Mixon, Diedrich Bader, Meg Donnelly, Daniel DiMaggio, Julia Butters, Carly Hughes and Ali Wong. This marks the first U.S. scripted comedy acquisition for W (even under its former aegis as Watch), with UKTV having only previously acquired U.S. scripted comedy for Dave in the form of The Last Man On Earth.

The Assets is based on the book Circle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed by CIA officers Sandra Grimes and the late Jeanne Vertefeuille, who headed the agency’s counter-intelligence investigation which identified Aldrich Ames as a mole who had blown the cover of at least ten Soviet intelligence officers who were working for the company and, the investigation claimed, dozens more assets across the world. The eight episode series is produced by ABC News’ Lincoln Square Productions and stars Jodie Whittaker (The Smoke), Harriet Walter (Law & Order: UK) and Paul Rhys (Borgia).

Australian drama Harrow follows forensic pathologist Dr Daniel Harrow. Brilliant, unorthodox and mysterious, Dr Harrow’s total disregard for authority and his unfailing empathy for the dead help him solve even the most bizarre of cases. The drama series is produced by ABC Studios International, Hoodlum Entertainment, and the Australian Broadcasting Company and stars Ioan Gruffudd (Forever), Remy Hii (Marco Polo), Mirrah Foulkes (Top Of The Lake), Robyn Malcolm (Rake), Ella Newton (Newton’s Law) and Anna Lise Phillips (Devil’s Playground).

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